| Title: |
Medical Malpractice Litigations Involving Infant Craniosynostosis and Deformational Plagiocephaly in the United States. |
| Authors: |
Gong, Jung Ho, Soliman, Luke, Sobti, Nikhil, Mehrzad, Raman, Woo, Albert S. |
| Source: |
Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal; Aug2024, Vol. 61 Issue 8, p1398-1403, 6p |
| Subject Terms: |
MALPRACTICE, LEGAL procedure, LEGAL databases, MEDICAL laws, RETROSPECTIVE studies, DESCRIPTIVE statistics, DIAGNOSTIC errors, HOSPITALS, COURTS, DEFORMATIONAL plagiocephaly, CRANIOSYNOSTOSES, MEDICAL records, ACQUISITION of data, JURY, NEGLIGENCE, JUDGMENT (Psychology), PHYSICIANS |
| Geographic Terms: |
UNITED States |
| Abstract: |
Objective: To identify characteristics of malpractice litigations involving skull deformity in infants (craniosynostosis and deformational plagiocephaly). Design: Retrospective review of all lawsuits with jury verdicts or settlements involving infant skull deformity as the primary diagnosis using the Westlaw Legal Database. Setting: United States. Patients, Participants: Plaintiffs with skull deformity as the primary diagnosis. Main Outcome Measures: Litigation outcome and indemnity payment amount. Results: From 1990 to 2019, 9 cases involving infant skull deformity met our inclusion/exclusion criteria. Among these cases, 8 (88.9%) cases resulted in indemnity payments to plaintiffs, totaling $30,430,000. Failure to diagnose (n = 4, 44.4%) and surgical negligence (n = 3, 33.3%) were the most common reasons for litigations. Conclusions: There were a small number of malpractice lawsuits involving infant skull deformity over three decades. When cases go to court, physicians and hospitals have a high likelihood of judgment against them, frequently resulting in high indemnity payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
Complementary Index |
